Offsetting feed mechanism



June 7, 1960 D. l. MORRISON ETA]. 2,939,702

OFFSETTING FEED MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1958 INVENTORS DOUGLAS 1. MORRISON mm N011. I/A/V WAGE/YER BY/ZWM f4 2 Q ATTORNEY 1 \i 1: N i 5 w 1 1 v i Z} 1: mm L mm 3 ms m :m M 4 2. ms 9: Q1 F m a. s 1 K m\ ll W 3 *1 5 (8 mm Mm 5c 111 mu 9 1.11m; a nmwmflww June 7, 1960 D. l. MORRISQN ETAL 2,939,702

OFF SETTING FEED MECHANISM Filed Oct. 10, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum illllllll llIHIIILEE'WLIIIIIIIH ml INVENTORS E DOI/GLASL MOkk/SON 3- v RAYM DH. m/v GENER no avg i g? 4;

ATTORN EY United States atent O OFFSETTING FEED MECHANISM Douglas I. Morrison, Rowayton, and Raymond H. Van Wagener, Noroton Heights, Comr, assignors to perry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed on. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 766,549

9 Claims, (Cl. 271-51 being fed during their course of travel through the apparatus.

The invention is shown and described herein in an embodiment particularly adapted for use with punched card handling equipment although it will of course be understood that the invention is equally useful and adaptable in equipment concerned withjfeeding and handling other types of objects. In punched card handling equipment, the cards are ordinarily fed from a card stack arranged in a feed magazine and are picked from the stack one, at a time and fed serially through the machine to be deposited ultimately in a receiving pocket or tray. As a function of the machine operation, it becomes desirable to segregate or physically distinguish selected ones of the cards from the remaining group of cards without the necessity of providing a separate receiving pocket or tray for this purpose, thus permitting examination or removal of the selected: cards from the remaining cards of the stack. It has been found that provision of means for offsetting selected cards as they are deposited in the receiving pocket or tray enables the selected cards to be readily detected for the purposes above mentioned.

In accordance with the invention, the offsetting is accomplished through unique operation of a portion of the card feeding mechanism While in gripping engagement with the card, the feeding mechanism maintaining constant and continual engagement with the card until it is positively deposited on the receiving tray. With this arrangement the amount of'otfset can be precisely determined and accurately maintained as the cards are being stacked in the receiving tray. In prior devices of this class, offsetting has been accomplished while the cards are freely falling from the feed mechanism into a receiving pocket, the reliability of which devices is adversely aifected by factors such as rebound within the magazine, length of fall required and other factors resulting from the loss of positive gripping contact with the card while being added to the receiving card stack.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to improve on means for olfsetting feeding objects in apparatus of the character described.

It is a further object of this invention to enable the offsetting of feeding objects, in apparatus of the character described, to be accomplished in a more positive manner.

It is a still further object of this invention to permit offsetting of feeding objects, in apparatus of the character described, without necessitating disengagement of the object being offset from the feeding mechanism.

Further objects of the invention together with the advantages accruing therefrom and features contributing each of said rolls being formed with 2,939,702 Patented June 7, 1960 thereto will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the card receiving tray and a portion of the feeding mechanism in a card handling machine.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the lines 22 of Fig. l and showing the feed rolls by which the card offsetting is accomplished;

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking towards the front of the machine and taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation in reduced scale of the structure shown irrFig. 1,

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the card feeding mechanism with which the offsetting means cooperates is supported by a lefthand and righthand machine frame plate 11, 12, respectively, with the cards being fed in the area between said frame platm in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1.v Generally stated, the cards are conveyed from the front to the rear of the machine by a series of feed rolls of conventional construction and not all shown herein, said rolls being mounted on feed roll shafts 14 which extend between and are journaledin the side frame plates 11, 12. The cards are delivered by the feed rolls to a stacking drum 15 mounted on a shaft 16 also journaled in the side frame plates 11, 12, the drum being provided with grippers 17 which engage the leading edge of each card and carry the cards around to a stacking tray 18. The stacking tray is of open box like construction and is supported by the side frame plates 11, 12, in cooperative relation to the stacking drum 15, the width of. the stacking tray being sufficient to accommodate the length of the cards in additiontto the distance that selected cards are offset relative to the remaining cards of'the' stack. A card stack weight 21 slidably mounted on the bed of the stacking tray serves to maintain the cards in compact stacked relation as they are deposited on the tray by the stacking drum 15.

The offsetting mechanism is associated with, a pair of feed roll shafts 22, 23 which, like the shaft 14, are journaled in the side frameplate's 11, 12. Shaft 22, at its lefthand end as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, carries, a pulley 24 around which is wrapped a belt 25 operatively connecting the pulley 24' with a pulley 26 mounted on the end of an adjacently disposed feed roll shaft 14. Pulley 26 also carries a belt 27 operatively connectingthc pulley with still anotherfeed roll shaft and ultimately to a source of power, not shown, which operates through the belt and pulleysystem to drive the feed roll shafts in synchronism.

The opposite end of shaft 22 carries a spur gear 31 which through an idler gear 32 drives a gear 33 mount ed on an end of shaft 23. Mounted on the shafts 22, 23 are feed rolls 34, 35 respectively, see also Fig. 2, keyways or slots 36, the rolls being slidably fitted to the respective shafts and keyed thereto by key pins 37 extending through the shafts and cooperating with the slots 36-. The arrangement provides a positive driving connection between the shafts and the rolls but permits the rolls to be shifted axially along the shafts a predetermined amount by means to be hereinafter described.

Cooperating with each of these rolls 34', 35 are pressure rolls 41, 42rrespectively, which are slidably fitted to their respective shafts 43, 44. The ends of each pressure roll shaft are provided with bearings 55 loosely fitted into an oversized opening in an associated hanger block 46, each block supporting one endof the two pressure roll shafts 41, 42. The blocks 46 are secured by any suitable means to a support bar 47 which in turn is suitably supported by and secured to the machine side frame plates 11, 112. Each pressure roll bearing 45 is Whenever it is desired that a selected one of the cards be oifset, offsetting mechanism is brought into operation at a selected time of a feed cycle to cause the feed rolls 34, 35 and pressure rolls 41, 42 to shift to the dotted line position thus carryingthe card 13 then in the grip of said roll to the dotted line position. Operation of the offsetting mechanism, as hereinafter described, is timed to coincide with that time of a feed cycle when .a card is in the grip of said rolls. Thereafter, as a card offset .to the dotted line position continues to travel through the machine it will be picked up by the stacking drum and deposited in the stacking tray 18 in a cone .sponding offset position with relation to the remainder of the card stack. It is of course understood that the stacking drum 15 is driven in synchronism with the feed rolls, a driving connection being indicated in Fig. 4 and comprising a train of gears 51, 52, 53- diiven from the rearmost feed roll shaft 14. Gear 53 is integral with a pulley 54 which is connected by a drive belt 55 with a pulley 56 integral with the stacking drum 15.

One end of each of the pressure rolls and feed rolls is formed with an annular groove in which rides yoke members 61, 62, the yoke member 61 embracing the two pressure rolls 41, 42, the yoke member 62 embracing the two feed rolls 34, 35. A bifurcated slide 63 is formed with an arm 64 which is suitably connected, such as by riveting, to the yoke member 61, the other arm 65 of the slide being similarly connected to the yoke member 62. The slide is supported for lateral movement by a bracket plate 66 secured to the inner surface of the side frame plate 11. Slotted openings 67 in the plate 66 accommodate studs 68 mounted in each of the arms 64, 65 so as to thereby guide the movement of the slide 63.

The slide is actuated by a bell crank the upright arm 71a of which engages the slide through a pivotal lost 'motion connection consisting of a stud 72 engaging an oversized opening 73 in the end of slide 63. Springs 74 connecting studs 68 with stud 72 tend to cause the slide 'to follow the movement of the arm 71, the lost motion connection between the parts being provided for reasons hereinafter mentioned. The bell crank, which comprises jarms 71a, 71b, 71c is pivoted at 75 to the bracket plate 66. The arm '71b of the bell crank extends through an opening in the machine side frame plate 11 and carries a follower roller 76 bearing on a cam 77. The arm 710 of the bell crank cooperates with a shoulder on a blocking pawl 78 pivotally secured to the bracket 66. A comb bracket 79, secured to the plate 66, embraces the bell crank arm 71c and pawl 78 so as to maintain the two parts in proper working alignment. A link 81 connects the pawl with the armature 82 of an offsetting control magnet 83 also secured to the plate 66 and which when energized operates to swing the pawl to dotted line unblocking position thereby permitting the bell crank to rock the parts to offsetting position under control of the cam 77 and under influence of spring 84 stretched between the arm 71a and the bracket plate 66.

The cam 77 is mounted on a short shaft 85 journaled in the projecting ears of a bracket 86 suitably secured to the outer face of the machine frame plate 11. Also mounted on the shaft 85 is a spiral gear 87 in meshing engagement with a spiral gear 88 carried by a stud shaft 91 supported in the depending ear of an angle bracket 92 secured to the outer face of the machine frame plate 11. Formed integral with the gear 88 is a spur gear 93 in meshing engagement with a gear 94 mounted on an end of the-feed roll shaft 23, heretofore described. The gear ratio between gears 94, 87 is such as to rotate shaft and cam 77 one complete rotation for each card feeding cycle of the machine. The parts are so adjusted as to provide, when roller 76 is riding the high dwell of cam 77, a slight clearance between bell crank arm 71c and the blocking pawl 78, thereby removing the tension of spring 84 from the bearing contact of these two parts, in which position the stud 72 will be slightly clear of the edge of the opening 73 in the slide 63. In this position of the parts it will be seen that the end of slot 67 serves as a limit for the slide 63 so as to maintain the respective feed rolls in their normal unshifted position.

In any machine feeding cycle when it is not desired to olfset a card, the magnet 83 is not energized, and as the roller 76 rides into the lower dwell of cam 77, the bell crank arm 710 will be initially rocked to bear firmly against and accordingly be blocked by the pawl 78, which inital movement will be insufficient to move the slide 63 in view of the lost motion connection between stud 72 and opening 73. Under these conditions the card will continue to travel in its normal course so as to be picked up and deposited on the stacking tray 18 in its normal pick up slide 63 and move the slide to the dotted line position, at the same time moving the respective feed rolls with card 13 in the grip thereof to the offset position for the card. Susequently, as the card feeds through the machine it is picked up and deposited on the stacking tray 18 in offset relation tothe remaining cards of the stack, i.e. against the right-hand wall of the stacking tray.

It will be seen that time of the cycle in which magnet 83 is energized is not critical, as long as it is energized prior to the time that roller 76 rides into the low dwell of cam 77, the cam 77 serving also as the means for timing the offsetting mechanism to coincide with the presence of a card in gripping relation to the offsetting feed rolls. The low dwell of cam 77 is of suflicient length as to maintain the offsetting feed rolls in their shifted ofiset position throughout the duration of the time that the offset card is expelled from the grip of the rolls, said cam causing the feed roll to return to their normal position prior to the time that a succeeding card 13 reaches the foremost pair of cooperating rolls 35, 42.

The means employed for determining which card is to be offset is not specifically disclosed herein and may comprise any conventional device or circuit responsive to information or condition relating to a particular card, such as for example an error detecting device, said means functioning upon determining the need for offsetting to close a circuit to the magnet 83 at a time in the corresponding feeding cycle prior to the time that cam 77 releases slide 63.

While there has been shown and described what is believed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is of course realized that various modifications and changes and forms could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact'form herein shown and described nor to anything less than the whole of the invention as hereinbefore set forth and as hereinafter claimed. e

What I desire to claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described havingfeeding mechanism for conveying card like elements in successive feed cycles from one to another machine section, cooperating feed offsetting means comprising a plurality of feed rolls disposed on opposite sides, respectively, of the feed path for said elements and supported for gripping engagement with an element conveyed there between, each of said feed rolls being mounted for axial shifting movement, and offset actuator means connected to each of said feed rolls and operable at a predetermined period of each feeding cycle for axially shifting said rolls, whereby the element being gripped and conveyed by said rolls is moved to an offset position within the feed path. 7

a for gripping engagement with an element conveyed therebetween, each of said feed rolls being mounted for axial shifting movement, offset actuator means connected to each of said feed rolls and operable at a predetermined period of each feeding cycle to axially shift said rolls, 1

and a common power source for driving said feed rolls and said actuator means in synchronism, whereby said actuator means may be rendered elfective at that portion of a feeding cycle when an element is being gripped and conveyed by said feed rolls.

3. In a machine of the character described having feeding mechanism for conveying card like elements in success-feed cycles from one to another machine section, cooperating feed ofisetting means comprising a plurality of feed rolls disposed on opposite sides, respectively, of the feed path for said elements and supported for gripping engagement with an element conveyed therebetween, each of said feed rolls being mounted for axial shifting movement in a direction transverse to the direction of feed, offset actuator means connected to said rolls and operable at a predetermined period of each feeding cycle to axially shift said rolls, and blocking means for preventing the operation of said actuator means and operable in selected machine cycles for permitting the operation of said actuator means, whereby an element being gripped and conlveyed by said rolls in a selected feeding cycle will be moved to an offset position within the feed path.

4. In a machine of the character described having feeding mechanism for conveying card like elements in successive feed cycles from one to another machine sec- 1 tion, cooperating feed, offsetting means comprising a plurality of feed rolls disposed on opposite sides, respectively, of the feed path for said elements and supported for gripping engagement with an element conveyed therebetween, each of said feed rolls being mounted for axial shifting movement in a direction transverse to the direction of feed, offset actuator means connected to said feed rolls and operable to axially shift said feed rolls, a common source of power for driving said feed rolls and said actuator means in synchronism, and blocking means for preventing the operation of said actuator means and operable in selected feeding cycles for permitting the operation of said actuator means, whereby said actuator means are caused to operate during that period of a selected feeding cycle wherein the element to be offset is being gripped and conveyed by said feed rolls.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said actuator means comprises a cam controlled member yieldably releasable during selected feeding cycles to axially shift said feed rolls.

6. The invention according to claim 5 including a pawl disposed for blocking engagement with said cam controlled member, and electromagnetic means operable in a selected feeding cycle for rendering said pawl inetfective.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said ofiset actuator means includes a slidable member interconnecting said feed rolls with said cam controlled member, said slidable member being operated by said cam controlled member through a lost motion connection, whereby the initial release movement of said cam con trolled member is ineffective for imparting any axial movement to said feed rolls.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said pawl is disposed for blocking engagement with said cam controlled member during the initial release movement thereof and before said cam controlled member positively engages said slidable member, and said electro magnetic'means is operable prior to said initial release movement in a selected feeding cycle for rendering said pawl ineifective, whereby the continued release movement of said cam controlled member operates to axially shift said feed rolls to offset within the feeding path the element being gripped and conveyed by said feed rolls.

9. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said feed offsetting means comprises a plurality of pairs of feed rolls serially arranged along the feed path and disposed for concurrent gripping engagement with an element during an extended period of a feeding cycle, one roll of each pair having a keyed connection with said power source, the other roll of each pair being supported for pressure engagement with a corresponding paired one of said key connected rolls, said offset actuator means being connected with both rolls of each pair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

